


A Different Kind of Shield

by DragonofFernweh



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gender Dysphoria, M/M, Menstruation, Promptis - Freeform, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, it's not purposeful but it's there so please be safe if that triggers you!, mild transphobia warning, prompto being supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-23 18:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11408052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonofFernweh/pseuds/DragonofFernweh
Summary: Noctis doesn't like going to buy his own pads, he hates the stares and he hates leaving his house when he feels so utterly wrong. He'd rather lie in bed and pretend he doesn't exist. Too bad for Noctis, Prompto isn't as keen on that idea, so he'll go get what Noctis needs, instead. It should all go without a hitch, if only certain people would keep their damn mouths shut.





	A Different Kind of Shield

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SpaceDaddy18](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceDaddy18/gifts).



_I am not trapped in my body, I am trapped in other people’s perceptions of my body._

ღ

Lying around in bed wasn’t a good way to spend one’s time, Noctis had been kindly informed by Ignis. Most advice from Ignis was important, and Noctis at least considered it, but today didn’t happen to be a day that Noctis cared. You know what he cared about? His bed. And hiding. Both of those things were good right now, and he was content to spend the next few days in total solitary confinement (aside from when Ignis came in the evening to ensure Noctis didn’t inadvertently starve himself) in his own nest. He’d been there since morning, aside from one or two trips to visit the restroom, and he was gonna stay that way.

Too bad Noctis forgot he’d given Prompto a key, and too bad Prompto was the type to worry. Noctis didn’t show up at school? Time to pop by the apartment and make sure he wasn’t kidnapped, or dead, or somehow tied up in his own sheets. Prompto had seen some shit in the few years he’d befriended the prince, who couldn’t even rule his own blankets. He did knock on the door when he unlocked it, but knocking didn’t really count when you were already shoving the door open and waltzing in like you owned the place.

“Noct, buddy? You here?” Prompto called out, his bag falling to the ground with a dull thump. “You didn’t show up for school, and I’m pretty sure Ignis only lets you do that when there’s a top-class emergency.” Prompto had started his way through the apartment even while talking, looking for signs of life. Fortunately, while he didn’t _see_ any, he heard a quiet groan come from Noct’s bedroom. Right. Where else?

Peering around the edge of the doorframe, Prompto addressed the lump in the blankets, “Hey man, it okay to come in?” It was a pitiful sight that made the blond’s heart wrench, and he wanted nothing more than to flop onto the bed and soothe Noctis any way he could. But, he knew that sometimes, physical contact was a touch-and-go process during these times. But, once the lump nodded its consent, Prompto grinned and slid into the bed with all the grace and smugness of a cat. It was a little stuffy under the heavy blanket, but Prompto wrapped his arms around Noctis anyway, inviting the prince to shuffle closer. The two boys were quiet for a few moments while Prompto stroked through Noctis’ hair, wishing he could absorb the pain his best friend had to deal with. “Maybe we could shout at your uterus and intimidate it away?” Prompto suggested, mostly just to get Noctis to do something other than sulk, but he was also totally ready to try anything to put an end to the tyrannical body part.

Noctis did laugh, even if it was only a tiny huff. “If my gory threats aren’t cutting it, I doubt that anything else is gonna.” He’d been planning an elaborate assassination of his unwanted anatomy for a couple hours now, to the point he wondered if it was considered a little dangerous. It was an alluring thought, though stabbing himself would probably result in a lot more blood. “I haven’t gone to get the stuff I need, either. I just used my last one,” the prince mumbled, his face buried against both the blanket and Prompto’s chest. Noctis had latched onto the wishful hope that his period might stop after only a few hours, like the astrals would look on him and say, “You know, we fucked up, maybe make this stop?” instead of leaving him to wallow.

Prompto paused in his petting, earning a disgruntled, rather unprincely sound. “Noct, you need to go get them! You can’t bleed onto paper like they did in ancient times!”

Noctis took a slow breath, struggling not to laugh, because laughing sucked during a period. “That was _papyrus,_ Prom, and I…can’t.” It was a weak confession, a half-assed one, too.

Prompto, though he wanted to point out that _really, who worried about what people bled on a hundred years ago_ , decided there were more important matters. “What do you mean you can’t? Noct, what’s the matter?” Was Noct too weak, had he lost too much blood? Should Prompto call Iggy?!

Noctis didn’t answer for several grueling, anxiety-inducing moments, until he finally let out a suffering sigh. “People stare at me,” he eventually admitted, whispering it as though it shamed _him_ when it should be everyone else who needed to get a fucking grip. Prompto tightened his hold around Noctis, mindful not to squeeze him too hard. He wondered for a second if Noctis had told either Ignis or Gladio about it, but he was quick to cancel those two ideas. They would both probably ask questions, Gladio would probably drag Noctis out anyway and make him point out anyone who gave him a look. Which, yeah, it’d be killer to just sock one to the assholes; but Noctis was a subtle person who just wanted to get by. He didn’t need any of that.

“I’ll go get ‘em for you,” Prompto said without any hesitation. Noctis pulled up and away, the blanket hanging around him like a hoodie. Noctis looked half-stricken. He’d heard plenty of stories of boyfriends who were grossed out and annoyed by having to pick up stuff like that, he didn’t want to make Prompto have to do shit like that for him just because he was too weak to do it.

“What? Prom, you don’t have to—”

“It’s not a big deal, Noct. I’ll be back in ten, fifteen minutes tops. Okay?” Prompto leaned forward and pressed an exaggerated kiss to Noctis’ forehead before bouncing out of the bed, and then realizing he’d left his shoes on when he’d climbed in earlier. Thank god Iggy wasn’t around. “Try and get some rest ‘til I get back, got it?”

Noctis hummed, sinking back into his makeshift fort as he listened to Prompto leave. He’d really won out on every aspect when it came to Prompto, how did he ever?

Prompto jogged to the little market, struggling not to get distracted by a big dog he saw walking past. No, he had a mission, and it wasn’t fair if Noct couldn’t pet it, too. Maybe Prompto could bring a dog back, too…nah. Ignis or Gladio would open the door, take one look, and promptly shut it again. And god help him if the dog wasn’t gone by the second time they tried.

Whistling to himself as he perused the aisles, Prompto snatched up the familiar package that he knew Noct preferred. He had no idea what the labels meant if he were being truly honest, but he did know the color and design on the package by now! That was totally good recognition skill, right there. As he was heading out with the pack under his arm, he caught sight of another boy standing outside the aisle giving him a look of pity. The look didn’t bother Prompto like it would have Noct, so the blond was glad he could come take care of it all instead. He did feel bad for whoever that guy ended up with though, because if they bled, they were probably on their own. When the hell did menstruation become the “forbidden topic” anyway? It was a fucking period, that had been happening since…ever, actually. He couldn’t picture what cavemen did when people bled way back when. Scream and dance in circles around a fire, throwing stones at the menstruater?

Prompto snorted at the imagery and caught a curious look from a passing shopper. Right, keep it together here.

He stopped on the way to the register to nab some good painkillers for Noct to live off of for a few days, then headed up to pay. He considered something sweet, but decided against it for the bet that he could get Ignis to bake something once he got to the apartment a little later. It was one thing handling Noctis’ puppy eyes, but Noctis AND Prompto? Ignis could be a sucker, too.

Placing the items on the belt, Prompto was working his wallet out of his jeans when the cashier, an older woman, chuckled. “My, picking up femininities for your girlfriend? How sweet!”

Prompto, hand still stuffed in his pocket as he wrestled with the damn wallet, gave the woman a very dry and thoroughly unimpressed look.

She was ringing the items up when the bagger, who happened to be a boy who was likely in high school, snickered. “Why can’t girls pick it up themselves? I mean, come on, it’s unmanly being caught with that!” he said, rolling his eyes at Prompto as though the blond were about to share in camaraderie with him.

The thoroughly unimpressed look grew colder and colder as Prompto peeled a few bills out, keeping his eyes on the bagger. “I don’t think you know what being manly is about, buddy,” he said, his tone too steady as he passed off the cash. The boy’s eyes widened in surprise and he almost dropped the box of medicine. The cashier cut her eyes towards the bagger with a sly smile, and _oh, don’t do it._

“Right. What kind of man won’t get pads for his lovely girlfriend? She’s a lucky lady!”

Prompto yanked the bags off the counter and, with a pointed look at the cashier, he lifted his chin up. “Stop misgendering my fucking boyfriend.”

The blond had gotten the hell out of dodge seconds after watching the woman’s eyebrows vanish into her hairline, his heart racing with both anger and anxiety, because on one hand _fuck everyone_ and on the other _he just cussed someone out in a public place, he’s totally gonna get banned and have to explain to Noctis why they can’t ever buy late-night snacks there again, oops._

Prompto, for the second time, popped through Noct’s door like he owned it. He sort of did, he was there more than he was his own house anymore. Noctis didn’t look like he’d moved an inch in the time Prompto had been gone, but that was fine. If Noctis wanted to embrace his life as a sloth, Prompto would learn to be the sloth princess to the sloth prince. Actually, he liked that title.

“I got you the stuff,” Prompto whispered, like he was dealing some sort of illegal trade. Noctis snorted, but he sat up to accept the bag, so he wasn’t totally paralyzed yet.

Noticing the painkillers, a smile softened the weary agitation on the prince’s face. He leaned up to press a chaste kiss to the corner of Prompto’s mouth. “Thanks, Prom. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Beaming and flushed red, Prompto only shrugged. “The least I can do for the handsomest prince is this. I’d accept some cuddles as compensation, though.”

Noctis smirked fondly, but he let Prompto pull him down under the blanket again, dissolving into mixed giggles moments later.

**Author's Note:**

> Me at one am, struggling with dysphoria and trying not to scream at my incorrect body: why not write
> 
> Still haven’t played the game, still probably never gonna be able, lmao here we fuckin’ are anyway. I’ve written stuff like this before, but don’t really post it because it’s always too personal feeling, but this is for a very handsome and special best friend who I would definitely pull a Prompto for any day. 
> 
> Also in those other stories, I have people being subtle or gentle, and I really, really wanted someone to just be “I’m gonna stop you right fucking there” when it came to misgendering. I’m just…tired and I’m tired of being nice and I’m tired of my body reminding me monthly that I’m Broken lmao.
> 
> I hope this is comforting to some people. I hope it makes you smile if you’re having a bad day, if you’re struggling with dysphoria, if you’re holed up in bed bleeding out. I can’t give you a Prompto, but I can give you solidarity and a BFH (big fuckin hug)


End file.
